Chandigarh, October 23 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal said that in line with Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi's vision of Digital India, the e-Sanjeevani service, launched in November 2019 with the objective of delivering high-quality healthcare services to remote areas, has proven to be highly effective for the citizens today. In Haryana, e-Sanjeevani OPD services have been accessible 24 hours a day since August 16, 2021. During the last fiscal year of 2022-23, a total of 1.02 lakh consultations were provided through e-Sanjeevani OPD. E-Sanjeevani serves as a testament to the advent of digital health in India.
The Chief Minister was directly engaged with the beneficiaries of e-Sanjeevani health services through an audio conference during ‘CM Ki Vishesh Charcha’ programme here today.
Sh Manohar Lal said that venturing outside during the Covid-19 pandemic was fraught with risk, necessitating the imposition of lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. During this period, people hesitated to seek medical care in hospitals, prioritizing their safety from Covid. Even if they did visit hospitals, the overwhelming patient load made it exceedingly challenging to secure an appointment with a healthcare professional. It was during these trying times that the e-Sanjeevani service demonstrated its remarkable effectiveness in facilitating medical consultations and treatment from the safety and comfort of one's home. Haryana launched this service on May 1, 2020.
Haryana expands teleconsultation services, set up Specialist and Super Specialist Hubs for enhanced healthcare access
The Chief Minister highlighted that we have significantly expanded and enhanced teleconsultation services to ensure access to healthcare for all residents. This effort included the establishment of 22 teleconsultation hubs, one in each district civil hospital in the state. Taking it a step further, a Specialist Hub and a Super Specialist Hub have been started in collaboration with PGIMER Chandigarh. These initiatives have facilitated direct communication between all primary health centers and sub-health centers with specialist and super specialist doctors. This tele-consultation network now covers all districts in the state and has already handled around 250,000 tele-consultations. Notably, 50 percent of these consultations were provided by doctors from the specialist hub at PGIMER, Chandigarh.
E-Sanjeevani services transform healthcare in Haryana: Reducing costs, eliminating travel, and elevating quality
He said that the teleconsultation services offered through e-Sanjeevani have brought about a remarkable transformation in Haryana's healthcare scenario. This service not only drastically reduces the cost of patient treatment but also eliminates the need for physical travel. It has also resulted in an enhancement of the quality of medical services. Another significant advantage is that individuals can receive consultations from doctors at government medical institutions located in any corner of the state, all from the comfort of their homes. The Chief Minister also underlined that e-Sanjeevani services have made a substantial contribution to the realization of their goal to provide high-quality healthcare services to the most vulnerable segments of the population.
He extended his congratulations to all the dedicated doctors and staff operating the e-Sanjeevani OPD, acknowledging that their commitment to duty led to the service receiving the Good Governance Award for the year 2020-21.
He stated that under the Mukhamantri Muft Ilaaz Yojana in the state, 228 different types of surgeries, 70 various diagnostic tests, and 21 dental treatments are provided without free of cost. Moreover, 500 medications are also distributed at no cost. Haryana holds the distinction of being the first state in the country to offer free access to medicines for Hepatitis C and B.
Medical Colleges in every district to increase Doctor in Haryana
The Chief Minister highlighted that upon assuming office in 2014, it became apparent that the number of doctors in proportion to the population was insufficient. Consequently, the decision was made to augment the count of medical colleges. In 2014, there were merely six medical colleges with 700 MBBS seats. In present government, the establishment of a medical college in each district was prioritized. As of today, numerous medical colleges have been constructed, leading to a substantial increase in MBBS seats, totaling approximately 1900. With the ongoing construction of additional medical colleges, the tally of medical colleges will soon reach 25, which will result in a notable increase to 3,500 MBBS seats.
He further explained that postgraduate (PG) seats have also seen an increase. Additionally, efforts are being made to promote paramedical, nursing, and physiotherapy colleges to address the shortage of healthcare staff.
Haryana government expands healthcare services with Chirayu Ayushman Yojana
The Chief Minister said that the Haryana Government has undertaken a series of measures to strengthen healthcare services. We have launched the Chirayu Ayushman Yojana, an expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which provides health coverage to families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh, granting them an annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh. Furthermore, this scheme has now been extended to families with annual incomes of up to Rs 3 lakh, encompassing an additional 8 lakh families. These families will only need to contribute Rs 1500 annually for health insurance. To date, 86 lakh Chirayu cards have been issued in the state, and claims worth Rs 1088 crore have been disbursed for the treatment of 8.5 lakh patients through this program.
He also mentioned the initiation of the Nirogi Haryana Scheme, designed to provide health check-ups for Antyodaya families in the state. The scheme's objective is to conduct comprehensive health assessments for the entire state's population at least once every two years. Under this program, health check-ups are carried out for underprivileged and marginalized families based on 25 parameters. So far, more than 32 lakh individuals have undergone health check-ups, with over 1.72 crore free tests of various types conducted.